It All Begins Here

This time, we’ll put some moves together into a small routine to practice moves from bebop dancers in Spirits of Moves. It’s uptempo, but it feels good, and it’s a fun way to work on the rhythm and flow of the movements.

Focus: Rhythm · Coordination · Flow · Practice
Level: All levels

In this video, we’ll explore some movements inspired by Scooby Stroman and Thomas King, two dancers featured in Spirits of Moves, particularly in the Bebop and Apple Jack sections.

I love watching these clips because they give us a glimpse into the way dancers were playing with rhythm, movement, and individuality. There are so many small ideas and details that can become inspiration for your own improvisation.

We’ll work with some of the movements and ideas from these dancers and explore how you can use them as a starting point for your own Bebop improvisation.

Don’t worry about reproducing everything exactly: take the movement, play with the rhythm, change it, and find your own way of using it.

Focus: Bebop · Individuality · Vernacular Jazz
Inspiration: Scooby Stroman & Thomas King
Level: All levels

Video Inspiration
https://youtu.be/UArYXUlPFdo?is=chL7dahePmme1xFr

https://youtu.be/KkuSFk5COzk?is=6VZ7RMCsiQ93ygZl

Josephine Baker was an African American dancer, singer, and entertainer who became an international star in France during the 1920s. She was known for her incredible stage presence, musicality, rhythm, and unique way of using her whole body. Her dancing was playful, powerful, and full of personality, and she became one of the most iconic performers.

We’ll explore four movements inspired by her dancing:

• Basic Charleston

• Squat Charleston

• Fish Tail

• Spank the Baby

What I love about Josephine’s dancing is how rhythmic and full of energy her movements are. She plays with her whole body and makes even simple movements feel incredibly alive.

So get ready to move: I recommend doing a torso or hip warm-up first, because we’re going to need those muscles awake.

Focus: Rhythm · Full-body movement · Expression · Vernacular Jazz
Inspiration: Josephine Baker
Level: All levels

Inspiration

Josephine Baker — Video 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBGXsQfGY4M&t=5s

Josephine Baker — Video 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhEhK4bgYtI&list=RDUhEhK4bgYtI&start_radio=1

Here’s a short warm-up focused on the hips.

We’ll work with hip circles, stretches, and shakes, waking up the hips and getting the muscles ready to move.

A simple practice to warm up, release tension, and explore different ways of moving through the hips. Shake it, loosen up, and feel it

Focus: Warm-up · Hips · Circles · Stretching · Shaking · Mobility
Level: All levels

Here’s a short warm-up focused on the upper body.

We’ll work with the shoulders, arms, chest, and torso, waking up the upper body and getting the muscles ready to move.

A simple practice to warm up, build awareness, and work on strength, coordination, and mobility through different movements.

Focus: Warm-up · Upper body · Shoulders · Arms · Chest · Torso
Level: All levels

In this video, transition between Fall of the Log and Hitchhiker.

Instead of treating them as two separate movements, we’ll look at how one can naturally flow into the other, paying attention to rhythm, hips, and the connection between the movements.

A simple transition to add to your vocabulary and play with in your own dancing and improvisation.

Focus: Transitions · Rhythm · Flow · Improvisation
Level: All levels

A sweet and short warm-up, this time inspired by Latin music and centered around the hips.

We’ll use the rhythm to wake up the body, fall of the log, susy Q and hips orientation.

A simple practice to get warm, connect with the rhythm, and bring some Latin flavour into your dancing.

Focus: Warm-up · Hips · Rhythm · Latin music · Groove
Level: All levels

Another short and sweet warm-up, this time focusing on solo jazz movements that start from the upper body.

We’ll explore how the movement can begin from the shoulders, chest, arms, and upper torso, and how that starting point influences the rest of the body.

A simple practice to wake up your body, connect with the rhythm, and explore different ways of initiating movement.

Focus: Warm-up · Upper body · Solo Jazz · Rhythm · Movement initiation
Level: All levels

Another short and sweet warm-up, this time inspired by the feeling and rhythm of Blues music.

Use it to wake up your body, connect with the music, and explore movement through a bluesy groove.

Simple, rhythmic, and perfect to start your practice with a different flavour.

Focus: Warm-up · Blues · Rhythm · Groove
Level: All levels

A short and sweet vernacular jazz warm-up to get your body moving and ready to dance.

Keep it simple, enjoy the rhythm, and let your body wake up.

Perfect for those days when you want a quick warm-up before getting into your practice.

Focus: Warm-up · Rhythm · Movement
Level: All levels

Hip isolations, focusing on control, coordination, and rhythm while gradually waking up the body.

It works both as a warm-up and as a muscle isolation practice, helping you become more aware of how different parts of the body can move independently while staying connected to the rhythm. Jazz is full of multiple rhythms at the same time.

Use it at the beginning of your practice to warm up, or come back to it whenever you want to work specifically on hip mobility, control, and rhythmic movement.

Focus: Warm-up · Hip isolations · Muscle control · Rhythm
Level: All levels

n this video, we’ll explore one of Mable Lee’s signature movements, which I consider to be another version of the Tackie Annie, a classic vernacular jazz step.

Mable Lee (1921–2019) was an American jazz dancer, tap dancer, singer, and entertainer, best known as the “Queen of the Soundies” for her appearances in more than 100 of these short musical films during the 1940s. She began performing as a child, later worked at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, appeared on Broadway, and continued dancing and teaching throughout her life.

What I particularly love about Mable’s approach is how much of the movement comes from the waist and hips. There’s something so distinctive about the way she connects the lower and upper body, creating a movement that feels rhythmic, grounded, and full of personality.

We’ll break down the movement and practice the rhythm, focusing separately on the hips and the upper body, before bringing everything together.

The goal is to understand Mable’s approach while also exploring how you can find your own way into the movement.

Focus: Rhythm · Hips · Upper body · Coordination · Individuality
Inspiration: Mable Lee
Level: All levels

All of this was filmed at the beautiful Kmita dance studios in Kraków.

This video focuses on vernacular jazz foundations. We’ll work through the three rhythms of the Boogie Forward and the Rocks, exploring the different ways these fundamental steps can be used in your dancing.

Lets talk about the rhythms, weight changes, and movement so you can understand how they work in your body and start incorporating them into your own vocabulary.

These are simple but important foundations that can give you a lot of possibilities once you start playing with the rhythm and making them your own.

Focus: Rhythm · Weight · Foundations · Musicality
Level: All levels

All of this was filmed at the beautiful Kmita dance studios in Kraków.

In this video, we’ll work on the Spank the Baby, a vernacular jazz step with plenty of room for personality, rhythm, and individual interpretation.

For this variation, I’m taking inspiration from Marie Bryant, an extraordinary African American dancer, singer, and choreographer who performed with artists such as Duke Ellington and appeared in films including Carolina Blues (1944) and Jammin’ the Blues (1944). In Carolina Blues, Bryant appears in the “Mr. Beebe” dance number alongside Harold Nicholas and several other remarkable dancers.

What I love about Marie is the flavour she brings to even the simplest movements. The way she plays with rhythm, pride, and hotness makes the movement feel completely alive.

Her version of the Spank the Baby is actually what made this one of my favourite jazz steps.

Don’t just think about getting the shape right—listen to the rhythm, play with the timing, and find your own flavour.

Focus: Rhythm · Pride · Musicality · Personal expression
Inspiration: Marie Bryant
Level: All levels

Watch the original:Mr. Beebe — Carolina Blues (1944)
https://youtu.be/emvtpt-P9ok?si=L7GS80Wdwncdvn3v

All of this was filmed at the beautiful Kmita dance studios in Kraków.

In this video, we’ll explore some of the movements performed by Mable Lee in the 1943 Soundie Beat Me Daddy, featuring pianist and singer Maurice Rocco.

Mable Lee was an incredible jazz and tap dancer, singer, and entertainer, known as the “Queen of the Soundies” for her many appearances in these short musical films during the 1940

In Beat Me Daddy, Mable appears during Rocco’s performance, and even in this short section there is so much to explore: her rhythm, accents transitions, and the way she play with isolations.

In this class, we’ll take some of these movements as inspiration and study the details that make Mable’s dancing so special.

Focus: Rhythm · Expression · Movement quality · Individuality
Inspiration: Mable Lee
Source: Beat Me Daddy — Soundie, 1943
Featuring: Maurice Rocco
Level: All levels

Watch the original: Beat Me, Daddy — Mable Lee & Maurice Rocco (1943)
https://youtu.be/dFU9N0tcNI8?si=s4ZZ-909d2LUzv_G

The Camel Walk is a vernacular jazz movement with many possibilities. There isn’t one single way to do it—each dancer can shape it through their own rhythm, body, and personality.

For this video, I’m taking inspiration from Marie Bryant, an extraordinary African American dancer, singer, choreographer, and dance coach who worked with artists such as Duke Ellington and appeared in films including Carolina Blues (1944) and Jammin’ the Blues (1944).

What I particularly love about Bryant is who open, proud and full of rhythms are her movements driven. In the “Mr. Beebe” number from Carolina Blues, her Camel Walk has a particular rhythmic quality that caught my attention and inspired this variation.

Watch Marie Bryant’s original performance and see what you notice before or after practicing:

Watch Marie Bryant in “Mr. Beebe” — Carolina Blues (1944)

Focus: Rhythm · Produness · Texture · Personal expression
Inspiration: Marie Bryant
Level: All levels

All of this was filmed at the beautiful Kmita dance studios in Kraków.